Electric signal system



Sept. 23,- 1930. T. H. THOMAS 9 ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTBI Filed Sept. 22,1927 INVENTOR THOMASHJ'HOMAS' BYWW ATTORNEY of said devicesisselectively Patented Sept. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES THOMAS H. THOMAS, ornnen'woon,rEnNsY veniA, Assienon 'ro mnn-wns rme- HOUSE AIR BaAKncoMrnIY, or ILMERD NG, PENNSYLVANIA, AconronA'rIoN OF PENNSYLVANIA 1 ELECTRICSIGNAL sYsrnM .Appli cation filedisepteinber 22, 1927'. "seminal221,151.

9 This invention relates to signalsystems, and more particularly to anelectrics'ignal adapted for use on railway trains.

An object of my invention is to provide a train signal system by theuseof which the trainmanmay signal the'engineman from any car of a trainand by which the engineman may cause his reply signal to be transmittedto the car station from which the trainmans signal, originated andfurtheryby which the engineman may cause a signal origmated by him to betransmitted to every car station on thetrain.

Another object of the invention is to provide a train signal system inwhich each car of a train is providedwith'ja signal device operable bydirect current and a signaldeviceoperable by alternating current and inwhich the flow of current to one or the other controlled from thelocomotive of the train.

These and other, objects and advantages willappear in xthe followingmoredetailed description of the invention.

In theaccompanying drawing the single figure is a diagrammatic view of atrain signal system'embodying my invention. a

According to my'invention, the locomotive or controller car of a railwaytrain maybe provided with a source of alternating electric,current,tsuch as the ordinary generator 1, to which is connected atransformer 2 adapt.- ed to reduce the voltage ofthecurrent flowing fromthe generator, to thatdesired for the operation of the signal system.One end of the coil 3 of this transformer is connected to groundat 4 andthe other end connected to a contact 5 of the enginemans switch. Theenginemans switch also has a contact 6 which is connected to' ground at7and further, has a pivotally mounted arm 8 adapted .to be normally heldin contact with-the contact 6, bya spring!) and is adaptedtobe operatedmanually, against the resistance of thespring9, into contact with thecontact 5. llhis switch arm 8 is connected to one terminal of a signalindicating device which may comprise a motor 1 0 havinga vibrator disc11 mounted on and rotatable withthe armature shaft of the motor;Which-disc is" adapted to engage with a diaphragm12,-associated with ahorn 13, so

that, upon theoperatio'n ofthe armature,,the

disc'willhe rotated causing the diaphragm t'o vibrate and" produce asound through the horn which-willbe audible to the engineman.

The other terminal of the signalindicating device is connected to atrain wire 14 which may be, ineflect, continuous throughout the 1 lengthof the train.

as thebattery 19. 5 The signal indicating de- 7 vice '17 may comprise9011820" and 21, a core 22iand a pivotally mounted vibrator arm 23adaptedg'tonormally: engage acontact 24 which is connected,.by a wire25, toia terminal contact 261 of the trainmans switch device 18.One'terminal Ofthe coil 20.is con nected to the train wire 14am; theother end is connected with the wire 25. Qne end of the coil 21isconnected to a terminal contact 27 of the trainmans switch device 18and the other end is connected to the arm 23 which is normally held incontact 24 by a-spring'28. v

Thetrainmansswitch device 18 comprises a casing containing a contactmember 29jhaving an operatingstem 30 1adapted to be op erated by a lever31 havingoperating arms 32 and 33, each having an operating'cord 34connected therewith. 'Mounted on the casing, there arel fulcr um pins 35and 36, which are so disposed, that when the arm 32 is operated, thelever 31 turns .aboutthe pin 35 and when the arm 33 is operated thelever turnsabout the pin 36, in either case the stem with the contact 30isoperated." V

The contact member 29 is. provided with contacts 37 and 38 and isnormally maintained in the positionshown' in the drawing terminalisconnected to i by the action of a spring39fmounted in the casinThismembQrQB; Whcnit is moved a.

predetermined distance, engages a yielding stop member 40 which issubject to the pressure of a spring 41 mounted in the casing. In orderto prevent rotative movement of the contact member 29, a guide bushing,

havingscrew-threaded engagement with the casing of the switch device 18,is

provided with apin 42 which engages in a ro ed f med n th ntes m m e.The "contact "37 ofthe trainmansswitch device "l8',controls circuitwires connected to 7 the terminal contact 27, and to a terminal contact43 connected to ground at 44. The

contact 38 controls circuit wires connected to the terminal contact 26,and toe terminal contact 45 connected to the positiveterminal ciiesatten. 9 ib i e ati rm i of which battery is connected ,to ground at46.

"jfAs suming the several parts' of my inventionto: be in normalpositions, as shown 1n ,the drawing-and the trainman deslresjto signalthe engineman, the-trainman pulls the 7 operating cord 34unti1 theontact member a 29 engages the stop memberv4Q, in which posicause themotor to: operate solthat the diaphragm 12 of the enginemanssignaldevice will be vibrated and produce sounds audible to the enginema'n.,If thetrainman holds the Contact member 2 91111 this position, a substaiitially continuous sound is produced, but the trai'nman byoperatingh-is switch-up and d'o'wnto openiandclo'se the circuit, maycause the fenginemans signal device to operate intermittently andtherebyconvey to the enginein'a'n any predetermined signal.

[It will'herei be noted that when current flows through 'theceil 20 ofthe trainmanis signal device 17,. the armature- 22 ismagnetizedgwhichcauses the'arm 23 to'be attracted to it, thus moving thearm 23 out of contact with thecontact 24'. v l

Slibu'ld the'trainma-n d'esireto receive the engineimanfsre ly; signalfat. the car station froni' whichghefinitiated his signal, he causesthefcoi ita'c'tg member1.29. to be moved to its finaldepressedpositioinin which,the contact 31', connects the terminal; contacts 43and; 27 thus connect-ing the'aimi23flnd coil 21 of the trai'nma S Signaldevice 17,to ground this p osi t-ioniofz the; contactv meniber f29, agcontacti38still gonna-as the ben actg and 45 and the circuit foroperating the-errgine zmansv signal is maintained nosed as hereinbeforedescribed. I To: reply i the trainmans signal, the enginenian moves thearm Sfot switch device out of contact w'i'thfth contactdwhich opens thecircuit described, which permits the core 22 to become demagnetized,thus permitting the spring 28 to move the arm 23 into contact with thecontact 24, and when in such contact, current will flow from the contact24, through the arm 23, coil 21 and contact 37 toground 44. Current thusflowing through the coil 21 causes the core 22 to become magnetized andthe arm 23 is attracted to it, againsttheinfiuence of thespring 28, thusopening the circuit again, which permits the arm 23 to be moved again,by the action of the spring'28, into contact with the contact 24, andthese operations continue so long as the 'arm'8 is maintained out ofcontact with thecontact 6, and the signal? device 17 will produceasubstantially continuous sound. By'opening and closing the circuit bythe use of the enginemans switch,- the engineman mayqcaus'e :theintermittent. operation of the trainman s signal device 17, and therebytransmit to the trainman any predetermined signal. 1

Should the engineman desireto-initiate a signal to "be sounded at, everycar station throughout the length ofthetrain, he moves the arm 8v of his,switch,so that it contacts with the contact 5, which permitsalternating current to flow, from the generator 1 and transformer 5 2,through; the enginemans V switch device, andlenginemans signalindicatingwdeviceto the. trainlwire 'andmfrom thence through each. ofthe signal devices :15 to, groundl16. thus operatingfrall of the signaldevices 15. By. opening and closing this circuit throughthe operation ofthe arm 8, the engineman may cause any desired, signal to betransmittedto thetrainman: It will here be understood that the signal-device's 15are operable'by alternating current only, so that he' hs a ma s is el in n man or when the engineman 1s replyingzto thesignal initiatedbythetrainin an, the di-. rect I current, vfrom the battery, flowing througrtheftrain wire14, will not cause the signal device s 15"to operate.

While one illustrative embodimentfof the invention has been described indetail, 5 is not m-y intention to limit-its scope to that embodiment 'orotheriwise than by the terms of theiappended claims V n a. a j

HI-Iaving now described my invent oluwhat I. claim as new'and desireto'secure by Letters Patent, is

7,1. In a train signal system, the combination with aisingle tramwire,'of an electrically contro lled signal indicating device{ on thehead" vehicleiof a train andconnec'td to said train} wire, anelectrically controlled signal indicating-device oneach of the othervehicles 1 of the train an d connected'to said. train wire and each:comprising anQelectro-magnet, switch device on-the head vehicle normallytrain wire to greund;,.-a source of: current. on each of said othervehicles per manently connected to ground, aswitch on each of said otherVlllClQS operative to one position to connect the local',source ofcurrent in circuit with said train wire to cause the signal device onthe head vehicle to op'- crate, and operative "to" another position tomaintain said local source of currentconnected to said train wire and toconnect the local signal device on the vehicle to ground, the switchdevice on the head vehicle being operative to disconnect said train wirefrom ground, and means included in each electromagnet operativetointermittently connect and disconnect the local source of currenttoand from ground and cause a signal to sound when said train wire isdisconnected from ground and the local switchdevice is second mentionedposition. V

2. In a train signal system, the combination with a single train wire,of an electrically controlled signal indicating device on the headvehicle of a. train and connected to the train wire, an electricallycontrolled signal indicating device on each of the other vehicles of thetrain and each connected to said train wire, a source of current on eachof said other vehicles permanently connected to ground, a

switch device on the head vehicle of the train normally connecting saidtrain wire to ground, a switch device on each of said other vehicles forclosing a circuit through the local source of current and the signaldevice on the head vehicle, and having a position for connecting thelocal signal device to ground and connecting said local source ofcurrent to said train wire, and to the local signal device, the switchdevice on the head vehicle being operative to a position to disconnectsaid train wire from ground, and means included in the local 7 signaldevice operative to intermittently connect and disconnect the localsource of current to and from ground and cause a signal to sound whensaid train wire is disconnected from ground and the local switch deviceis in its second mentioned position.

3. In a train signal system, the combination with a single train wire,of an electrically controlled signal indicating device on the headvehicle of a train and connected to said train wire, an electricallycontrolled signal indicat- 'ing device on each of the other vehicles ofthe train, a source of current on each of said other vehiclespermanently connected to ground, a switch on the head vehicle normallyconnectin said train wire to ground, a switch device on each of saidother vehicles operative to one position to connect the local source ofcurrent in circuit with the signal device on the head vehicle, andoperative to another position to connect the local signal device toground and to connect said local source of current to said train wire,and means included. in the signal device of each of said other vehiclesfor rendering it inoperative when the train wire is connected to groundthrough the switch on in its menti'oned position.

' the head vehicle and operative, when the switch is operated todisconnect the train wire from ground when the localswitch device is inits secondmentioned position. '4. Inatrain signal system, the combin'a"tion with a single train wirenormallyconnected to groundjatthe head ofthe trairf, of an electrically controlled signal indicating device onthe head vehicle Ora train connected I each having another position toconnect the local source of direct current tosaid train wire and toconnect the direct current operated signal device'on each pram othervehicles toigro'und, means ODBITatiYB o: one position fromithe headvehiclefor disconnecting said trai .Wire-imm g und ndon l vs i nt l t in. fo n ccfinsis e i e'e alternating. current in'circuit with the alter:nating current operatedl'signal devicespand means included in} each. ofthe directgcurrent operated signal deyiccsfoperative to control the flowof currentthrough the local source of direct current and the local}signal device when the local switclrdeviceisin i1 3 second 5. In a trainsignal systemjthe combinaion wi h ajrsingl it i enmm Hy C0 1.-

nected' to ground at the head of the'train, of an electricallycontrolled signal indicating device on the head vehicle of a train, andconnected in said train wire, an electrically con trolledsigrialindicating device'oneach of the other vehicles of the train, the 7 last.men'- ztionecl signal devices comprising i an electro'- ma n t having ap ity coils andl vi ibrator,

one ofsaid coils being connected at 'onejend to jsaid train wire anda'tthe. other fend to ac1rcu'1tw1re,a source of current connected to groundeach lo f the other vehicles, a switch device on 'eachof. said othervehicles having means operative ,to a position for cutting the localsource; of current m'circult-wit-h said circuit wire, connectedcoil andthe signal device. (on the head vehicle, andanother position forconnecting said local sourceofcurrentto said train wire andto'connectthe other coil .of said floca'l signal device to ground,thecurrent flowing to s'aidtr'ain wire through "the circuit wire and firstmentioned coil' causing said vibrator of the local signal device tooperate to prevent the flow of current through the second mentioned coilto ground, and .means operativefrom the head vehicle-for disconnectingsaid train wire from ground to permit the vibrator to 'operateltointermittently make and break the circuit through the second mentionedcoil. v f V r 6. In a train'signal system, the combina- 7 tion with atrain wire normally connected, to

ground at the head ofthe train,.'of a source of electric current on eachvehicle'ofthe train having one terminal permanently connected groundwhen the switch device on the head vehicle is operated to disconnectsaidtrain wire from ground. 1

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. i V k THOMAS H.THOMAS.

tohground, an electrically controlled signal indicating device on eachvehlcle of a train,

each signal indicating device having onejof its terminals permanentlyconnected to said train wire and another of its terminals normallydlsconnected from ground, means'on eachvehicleoperative to a position toconnect the local source! of current in circuit with said signal deviceand to connect the last mentioned terminal of the-local signal device toground,-meansincluded in each signal device operative by current flowingfrom said source to ground through said train wire for rendering eachsignal, device inoperative to efi'ect a signal, and operative by currentflowing from said source when the first-mentioned means is in positionto7 I connect the signal device in circuit with sa1d source and,ground toeffect a s gnal upon the disconnection of said train wire fromv ground,and a switch device at the vehicles of thetrain and each having oneterminal connected to. said train wire and another terminal normallydisconnected from ground, means on each of the last mentioned vehicles 7operative to V a position to 4 connect local signal device and toconnect the; last r @the local source ofcurrentincircuit with amentionedterminal of the local signal device I to ground, andcmeansincluded in said local signal device for rendering the signal deviceinoperative to effect a signal when the-current from saidsourceisfiowing to ground through said train wire and theswitch on theheadvehicle, and additional means for rendering" said local signaldevice operative by current. flowing; from said "source to I

